The master’s degree in applied economics is a preparatory degree for students wishing to do applied work in areas where economics is the focus of the career. This is an applied degree as opposed to a research degree, meaning students receive the education necessary to enter the workforce in economic programs, or work as consultants in government areas, nonprofits, and private sectors.

Specialization(s):

Students must choose a specialization.

Natural Resource Economics: This specialization focuses on solving environmental problems and natural resource management, all in relation to economics.

Regional Economic Development: Students in this specialization study how communities and regions develop economically.

Agricultural Economics: In this specialization, students study agricultural policy, production, and marketing.

Peace Corps Master's International Program:s

Students have an option to participate in the Peace Corps Master’s International Program. To participate in this program, students must first be accepted into the Peace Corps. Once accepted, students may apply to the applied economics master’s program. Students take one year of classes toward the applied economics master’s degree. Then they spend approximately two years assigned to a country for Peace Corps field service, and upon their return, they complete an additional year at Utah State University to earn the master’s degree. The Peace Corps is particularly interested in students with backgrounds in economics. Students in the Peace Corps Master’s International Program must also choose a specialization.

Admissions Deadlines

The department has the following application deadline for students wishing to receive funding:

Fall semester – January 31

The deadline for admission without funding is:

Fall semester – June 30

Master's Degree Plan Option(s)

Students can receive the MS by pursuing one of two options. Students going through the Peace Corps Master’s International Program must choose plan A or B:

In the Plan A option, students complete graduate-level coursework and must write a thesis for their degrees.

The Plan B option requires the production of a paper or creative work of art and is expected to reflect equivalent scholarship standards as a thesis.

Students pursuing the MAE are not required to write a thesis or research paper. The degree requires only course work.

Financial Assistance

The department offers a limited amount of competitive research assistantships with a tuition award for out-of-state students. As the availability of these assistantships varies from year to year, students should check with the department for more information.

For students pursuing the MAE, the department does not offer any research assistantships or tuition awards.
Students may be eligible for other funding opportunities, including fellowships and scholarships.

Professional Organizations, Honor Societies, and Clubs

Association of Environmental Resource Economists: AERE is a professional association for economists working in the environmental and natural resources fields. It serves as a means for exchanging ideas, stimulating research, and promoting graduate training in environmental and resource economics.

Labs, Centers, Research

Center for Integrated BioSystems: The CIB leads a progressive, interdisciplinary effort in research, core services, and education serving agriculture and life sciences. The CIB is where the first hybrid animal, a mule, was cloned, and was named one of “30 Awesome College Labs” by Popular Science magazine. The CIB has a research program with several active projects in diverse areas of life science that encompass plant, animal, and microbe functional genomics.

Utah Agricultural Experiment Station: The UAES is part of a network of researchers and facilities at the nation’s land-grant universities and is committed to improving agriculture and managing natural resources for the people of Utah. At research facilities on the USU campus and throughout the state, UAES supports hundreds of research projects that promote agriculture and human nutrition and enhance the quality of rural life.